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Ganassi closes Xfinity team after FBI raid on sponsor

- Jan. 18, 2019 09:58 AM EST

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Chip Ganassi Racing has shuttered its Xfinity Series team because of a sponsorship issue that arose after the FBI raided DC Solar's headquarters and the home of the company owner.

The Ganassi team won six races last season with three different drivers and had committed to a full season in 2019 with Ross Chastain, a watermelon farmer who caught the eye of DC Solar owner Jeff Carpoff. It was Carpoff who pushed to get Chastain a chance in good equipment, and Chastain won his first career Xfinity race in September at Las Vegas in a Ganassi car.

Ganassi said Friday his decision "comes with much anguish as this is a championship-caliber team and more importantly because it affects a number of good people's livelihoods. Running a car without proper funding is difficult to do."

Ganassi said its NASCAR Cup Series teams of Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch won't be impacted. DC Solar also sponsored select races on the Cup side.